


Photograph

by Frenchvaile



Series: Song Fics [1]
Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Birdflash - Freeform, M/M, Mild Language, This was actually fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-05-18 00:51:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14842461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frenchvaile/pseuds/Frenchvaile
Summary: Wally sings about his love for Dick Grayson, even if they're Earth's apart.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I have a few songs that I really wanted to write fanfics for.
> 
> I know, I know. I really should be working on other writings instead of writing a new peice. I promise to update it soon!
> 
> This is inspired by the theory I have that YJ and JL Wally West's are actually the same person. After the Reach Invasion, Wally got teleported to the JLU universe. And he has to build a machine to get back. However, he joins the League, which makes it harder for him to get materials and to even plan the blueprints because of the fact that he has responsibilities as part of a founding member of the League.

Wally cursed his teammates up and down. He didn’t mind going undercover. Hell, he honestly wouldn’t have minded if he was just forced to just stand on the stage as a random person.

What he did mind, however, was standing on a stage in front of dozens of people, being _forced_ to sing.

The category? _Love_ songs.

Well, he was screwed.

Ever since the invasion, whenever he heard a love song he either ended up awkwardly leaving, holding back tears, or in need of a new radio.

He actually could barely listen to the radio anyway. Most songs reminded him _way_ to much of the Team. Way too much of _Dick._

Wally wracked his brain for songs that wouldn’t leave him a sobbing mess. Which was very likely right now.

Guillotine? No. A Thousand Years? No way. That romantic song by Eric Clapton? Definitely _not._

He thought for a few more seconds before deciding on....that song by Ed Sheeran. He was pretty sure it was Ed Sheeran. It most likely won’t leave him crying.

Someone handed him a guitar as Shayera pushed him on the stage with a yell of encouragement that was definitely lost to Wally, who was shaking in fear.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he stared out to the crowd. He seen the League, his new sort-of family, smiling. Mostly smugly.

Wally didn’t really blame them. He _did_ flirt with every girl within 2 mile radius. They probably thought that he was just desperate. But in all honesty, he just wanted to stop the pain from being away from Dick. But they didn’t know that. So, to them, of course he would be a good choice for a love song.

If only they knew how much it hurt.

Sighing, he let his fingers brush across the string.

_Breath in and out, Wall-man. You got this._

The music surprised him a bit. He didn’t even think he would be able to remember the song lyrics, never mind the _notes._

But then again, this song was on of Dick’s favorites.

He focused all of his energy into the guitar. He would _not_ cry in front of these people.

_"Loving can hurt."_

_"Loving can hurt sometimes."_

(He smiled softly. Loving may hurt, but Dick was worth every second of the pain. Wally glance over to the table his friends sat. The league stared at him in stunned silence at the softness in his voice. Wally turned back to the guitar before he cried sooner than he wanted.)

_"But it's the only thing that I know."_

_"When it gets hard,"_

_"You know it can get hard sometimes,"_

_"It is the only thing that makes us feel alive."_

(Wally forced the tears back. God, if getting back in one piece to his world was literally impossible, he doubted he’d be standing here at all, if he was being honest.)

_"We keep this love in a photograph,"_

(The photograph that sits in his drawer beside his bed. The one that has the Team and the League. Where he's holding hands with Dick, just like M'gann and Conner, and Zatanna and Artemis are. Where Roy has his arms wrapped around his and Dick's shoulder, and Kaldur has one hand on Roy's back and the other on Artemis's. Where the League is smiling proudly behind their partners. Where everything was _perfect_.)

_"We made these memories for ourselves."_

(But everything isn't perfect now.)

_"Where our eyes are never closing,"_

(Because now, everything's gone.)

_"Hearts are never broken,"_

(And he may never see them again.)

_"And time's forever frozen still."_

(Wally let his thoughts drift. He remembered the first time he met Robin and Speedy. First meeting of Aqualad. The formation of the Team, Failsafe, Jason's death, his own, and everything in between. How he _wished_ to just have everything the way it used to be.)

_"So you can keep me,"_

_"Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans,"_

_"Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet,"_

_"You won't ever be alone."_

_Wait for me to come home."_

_(Because I_ will _be home soon,_ he thought.)

_"Loving can heal."_

_"Loving can mend your soul."_

( _U_ _ntil it gets taken away,_ he mentally added glumly.)

_"And it's the only thing that I know, know."_

_"I swear it will get easier,"_

_"Remember that with every piece of you."_

(Smiling a little wider than the first time, he felt something surge deep within him that he hadn’t felt in a long, long time come up once more.

Inspiration.)

_"And it's the only thing we take with us when we die."_

(Wally felt his lips curl into a smirk. Man, that line was pretty ironic.)

_"We keep this love in this photograph,"_

_"We made these memories for ourselves."_

_(If only I relized how much I need them.)_

_"Where our eyes are never closing,"_

_"Hearts were never broken,"_

(He remembered Tula. How heartbroken Kaldur was when she started dating Garth, even if he would never admit it. How heartbroken they all were when she died. How Jason's death nearly shattered all their hearts. It was death after death of loved ones, and they were always wondering when it would just _stop._

He bit his cheek hard enough to draw blood when he realised that to them, he died. He was gone. Just like the others. To them, it would never seem to stop.)

_"And time's forever frozen still."_

( _Goddammit, it hurts so_ much.)  
_  
"So you can keep me,"_

_"Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans,"_

_"Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet,"_

_"You won't ever be alone."_  
_  
"And if you hurt me,"_

_"That's okay baby, only words bleed."_

(He sucked in a short breath at the memories of all their fights came into his mind. Not something he was proud of.)

_"Inside these pages you just hold me,"_

_"And I won’t ever let you go,"_

_(I never could_.)

_"Wait for me to come home."_

_(I’m almost there.)_

_"Wait for me to come home."_

_(Just a little longer)_

_"Wait for me to come home."_

_(You can do this, Dick.)_

_"Wait for me to come home."_

_(Do it for me.)_

_"Oh, you can fit me,"_

_"Inside the necklace you got when you were sixteen,"_

(The one shaped as a bird taking flight that Dick wore pretty much whenever he could. Somehow, he had even managed to fit a picture of the both of them in the locket. Though Wally wasn’t complaining about it. Especially not now.)

_"Next to your heartbeat where I should be,"_

_"Keep it deep within your soul."_

_(_ He felt like he was being punched in the gut over and over again. He couldn’t stop the tears that formed. He couldn’t stop them when they fell either. He really hoped no one notices them.)

_"And if you hurt me,"_

_"Well, that's okay baby, only words bleed"_

_(Focus on the guitar. Don't cry.)_

_"Inside these pages you just hold me,"_

_(Don't cry!)_

_"And I won’t ever let you go."_

_(Please don’t give up on me.)_

_"When I'm away,"_

_"I will remember how you kissed me,"_

_(It may have been a shitty mission, but in the end, it was worth it.)_

_"Under the lamppost back on Sixth street,"_

_"Hearing you whisper through the phone,"_

"Wait for me to come home.”

The song finally, finally ended, and Wally basically wanted to run out of the building as fast as he could. Secret identities be damned.

Instead, with a shaky breath, he speed walked over to the guy who handed him the guitar and rushed out of the room, ignoring the loud applause and whistles.

And he was completely oblivious to his guilty teammates staring at him in awe.

( _I couldn't stop the tears.)_


	2. Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wally finally opens up after 6 years of keeping the truth hidden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally finished! I'm quite proud of this! It was actually pretty fun and a bit easy once I got into the rhythm lmao.

Wally’s run home had been a blur. Probably because of the tears that were falling freely since he left the stage. Leaving his teammates to keep the mission going without him.

He _knew_ he was going to be in big trouble. He ran out during an undercover mission, completely abandoning his job.

Honestly, if the League needed him, if they _wanted_ him back, he would’ve been there in a flash. Pun Intended.

But he didn’t get a call. Not a single one on his cell or comm. And right now? He honestly couldn’t care less. He hurt so much. His heart was aching. And not the nice way either.

He really just wished they would call to check on him. Maybe they actually _didn’t_ care about him after all.

So, hours after he ran away from the mission, he was laying on his side on his bed, tears streaming down his face, holding a picture of his Team - his _old_ team - to his chest protectively.

The dark clouds and rain outside only seemed fitting. It made him feel, at the very least, a little bit better, and a little worse at the same time.

Sighing, he sat up. The bed creaked under the sudden weight shift, but it was his stomach that knocked him out of his thoughts. It growled loudly and viciously, reminding him that he needed to eat something soon.

The problem was that he didn’t have enough money for food. He wasn’t exactly thrown into this world with enough money to support a speedster. And he didn’t feel like getting a lecture right now at the Watchtower. Especially not when he was feeling this vulnerable.

Running a hand through his red hair, he put the picture carefully in the bedside drawer.

_It’s the basically the only thing I have left of them._

He laid back down on his side again, his arms wrapped around his painfully empty stomach.

He didn’t even know he fell asleep until his communicator went off. At first, he thought it was his alarm clock. He was going to ignore it, content to just go back to sleep, but an urgent “Superman to Flash” reached his ears.

He jumped up in surprise, his head spinning at the fast movement.

Maybe they _did_ want him after all!

That thought made him a little happier. He smiled to himself, but than frowned. They probably just wanted to lecture him. Again. Like always. Because he was “acting like a child.”

Sighing, he grabbed the device and put in in his ear before clicking it.

“Flash to Superman,” he resoonded, his voice still slick with sleep, and he hoped that it wasn’t also because of the fact that he had been crying.

“Wally! I didn’t think you would respond. The League is having a meeting in five. We expect to see you there?” It sounded more of a question than a statement. Clark’s voice sounded wary, and almost like he didn’t want to set him off.

Wally was a bit frustrated about that. Sure, he may have cried, on a mission singing about love in front of really fancy and rich people no less, but he was _not_ weak!

Instead, he swallowed and nodded, even though Clark couldn’t see him. Feeling like an idiot, he mentally slapped his head.

“I’ll be there.” he finally stated, before clicking it off and slowly getting out of the bed.

Keyword is slowly.

Man, he felt like _shit_.

He grunted as he stood. Than he paused.

What the _hell_ did they want to talk about?

A dropping feeling settled in his gut as he grabbed his ring, letting the costume so similar to Uncle Barry’s fall to the floor, the lightning bolt symbol staring back at him. Almost mocking him.

If only Barry could seen him now.

Would he be proud?

He just didn’t _know._

He spun around, grabbing the suit and put in on with his super speed. He was about to put the mask over his head, but his reflection in the mirror.

He _looked_ like shit too.

His eyes were red, and you could clearly see the dried tear tracks on his usually happy face. His bright green eyes were sad and dull, and his short red hair, the hair Dick would complain about being too long before he got trapped in this dimension, stuck to his forehead with sweat.

He shrugged, watching himself as h placed the mask over his face. He grabbed the comm. and popped it in his ear before clicking it on.

“Flash to Watchtower. Beam me up.” he said emotionlessly, not even bothering to put any fake cheer in his tone. He didn’t have the energy.

A flash of light blinded him for a minute until his bedroom he was just in was replaced by the metal and technology filled walls of the Watchtower.

He didn’t even bother sticking around to talk to the people on board like he usually did. He just ran straight to the meeting room. He didn’t feel like talking too much right now. He didn’t feel like eating either, even though his stomach was eating him inside out. He doubted he would be able to keep anything down.

And a lot more people would probably hear the strain and slickness of his voice when he talked to them, because he honestly couldn’t just stop talking or people would get suspicious. But his voice would lead to questions he would rather not answer. He wanted to prolong that as much as possible, goddammit

He decided just to go straight to the meeting room and pray his speed will fix his voice before he had to say anything.

A uncomfortable feeling settled in his stomach like a rock as he reached for the button to open the door. He paused, mulling over the situation in his head.

There was about three options he could think about taking at the top of his head.

Option 1: Come clean about everything. Spill basically your entire life story to them. The right choice, but not the safest.

Option 2: Tell half of the truth. That you just lost some really close people a while ago and are still sensitive. Leave out the different dimension parts and pretty well everything in between. Probably not the right choice, but definitely the safest.

Option 3: Say that nothing is wrong and dodge all questions. Most dangerous and unsafe route. Bruce will definitely look into it. If he found out that way, it would be worse than telling them upfront now.

Option 3 was out of the bag. That left option 1 and 2.

Wally really wanted to go with the second choice. _Stay safe._ That’s what he was always told.

But it wasn’t the _right_ choice. And the crushing guilt and sadness he felt confirmed it.

 _Guess I’m gonna spill the beans. The cat will be outta the bag. So long, secrets, nice knowing you._ He thought with bitter amusement.

Shaking his head clear, he opened the door and stepped in. All heads turned towards him. He definitely felt glad he designed his outfit to cover his eyes, because it would’ve shown the fear in them.

John smiled slightly. “Hey, Hotshot. Meetings just about to start.”

Wally nodded and smiled sheepishly, sitting in the empty seat next to Shayera and Clark.

The meeting, all in all, was quite boring and uneventful. They did not learn much, and nobody brought up the...incident.

Until Bruce looked towards him. Well, it was more of a stare. Searching him. Cold and calculating.

Wally knew that stare like the back of his hand. Growing up with the entire League (some villains as well) as mentors and the team as practically his siblings taught him a lot. So he just stared back blankly. No matter how he actually acted, no matter what he said or did, he was not scared of Bruce. And it was time to come clean (before he lost the confidence to.)

The room had gone silent, though Wally didn’t realise it until Clark broke it.

“Wally...if I may ask...what happened earlier?”

The speedster gave up in his staring contest with the Dark Knight to look at the Man of Steel.

He sighed, gathering all his courage to force out this conversation. It was a long time coming. Pulling down his cowl, standing up at the same time, he made sure his voice was clear.

“I need to come clean...please, no interuptions. Diana, can I see your lasso? I want you guys to know that I’m telling the truth. That I'm not making any of this up."

There were looks of worry, fear, and hesitation on everyone's faces, but the all nodded. Diana handed him the lasso. They would all listen to what he had to say.

Wally prayed that he isn’t going to lose another family as he wrapped the magic rope around his hand.

And he began to explain.

“That song was one me and my friends would sing whenever one of us needed a reminder. That we were here for the upset person. Most of the times it was to our partners, but sometimes we would all sing it together, to remind ourselves that we will always love one another. It gave me memories of happier times.

“There were some bad memories, but otherwise things were good. We had strived hard to impress our mentors. To create our future. To protect others. We made new bonds, made a bigger family. Some of us even got lovers.

“But all the horrors we seen when trying to achieve our goals made us grow scared and distant. We promised ourselves we wouldn’t become like our mentors. We feared we would end up like them. Broken, cold, untrusting. In the end, we always become the things we fear the most, don’t we?”

The League looked shocked by the softly spoken but otherwise harsh words that came out of his mouth. He felt tears form in his eyes once more, but pushed himself to keep going.

“I haven’t been honest with you guys.”

The fear shimmered in each of their eyes. Their postures were tense. They feared the worst. And Wally didn’t blame them.

“I...I...I’m not from this dimension. I never was."

It seemed like the air rushed out of their lungs. Shock, hurt, betrayal. Wally could feel it all. It mixed with his guilt and anxiety. The silence seemed to last forever.

John was the first to speak. It was cold and defensive. He was angry.

“This isn’t a joke.”

Wally nodded his head sadly, bowing it in shame. He couldn’t bring himself to look at them.

He knew what he would see if he looked up.

“...how?” Shayera voice whispered. Strained. Pained.

Wally lifted his dull eyes to meet sadness filled ones.

“I began the hero business when I was ten. That was when I got struck by lightning. I was Kid Flash, the third sidekick, partner to the second Flash. My uncle.

“Robin - later Nightwing - was the first sidekick. His mentor was Batman.”

Bruce looked ready to object, but Wally cut him off.

“He was nine when he started. Eight when we watched his parents fall to their deaths."

The shocked silence that followed urged him on.

“He was like a little brother to me. Until it became something more. I loved him with all my heart. I still do. I will never ever stop loving him.”

More silenced continued.

“Speedy - Red Arrow - was the second. He was Green Arrow's sidekick. Our older brother. Until he left. It's complicated.

“Aqualad was fourth, Superboy was fifth, Miss Martin was sixth, Artemis was seventh, Zatanna was eight, and Rocket was ninth. I’m pretty sure you can guess most of their mentors.”

They all looked stunned at the thought of teenager hero's fighting battles like they fought.

He continued on (a little smugly, since they knew he knew what he was doing in battle.)

“We formed the Team because we were tired of the way the League treated us. The Team was under the Leagues control, but it was were teenage heroes could connect with one another. We didn't have to feel alone with the Team.

“Years later, I had to quit because of the Speed Force. It would’ve killed me if I didn’t.”

Most of their expressions didn’t change. Even J’onn’s didn’t really change. But it slowly, slowly turned from shock to slight understanding.

“A few years after I quit, there was an invasion. I was forced to to get back into the business one last time, at the endgame.

“The aliens - The Reach - had planted these machines that would swallow the earth whole if they couldn’t conquer it. They had set them off, and we stopped them. All except one.”

Their faces turned to mixes of sadness and grief.

“It was too late when Bart and Uncle Barry - Impulse and the second Flash - got there. It turned on. The only way to stop it was to run the opposite direction - kind of like how we stop tornadoes.

“But there wasn’t enough kinetic energy between the two of them. So I joined them. I ran as fast as I could, ignoring the the strain I felt. I was the slowest speedster; I was used to the pain.

“Than a new pain came along. The energy needed someplace to go to. It needed a gateway. And since I was the slowest, it attacked me.”

The pure horror was stark clear on their faces. They knew it was the truth. You couldn’t lie with the lasso.

“The pain...it was unlike _anything_ I ever felt. It was breaking down my body piece by piece. I knew I was going to die. I had too. Bart just started living a real life and Barry was about to have children...I couldn’t let them stop or slow. But knowing that my family was there to see it happen...they watched me die.” he whispered, tears falling freely from his face.

They all looked anywhere except him - they couldn’t handle it. They _all_ knew what it was like to lose a loved one. To be that loved one? Unimaginable.

“I...faded into the Speed Force at the end. I was only there for a little bit though. I had thought about everyone I left behind. Especially Nightwing. My lightning rod.

“But instead of going back to my own dimension, I was thrown into this one. I had to start a new life over. All alone. It was - _is_ \- the most painful thing I have ever done.

“When I met you guys, I was thrilled. Because even though you guys are different than my world’s League, it felt so familiar and welcomed. It’s probably why I grew so close to you all.

“I wanted to tell you, but after everything that happened between us...the Justice Lords especially…I…I was scarred.” his voice cracked.

He felt his knees grow weak and give up on him, causing him to fall to the floor with a thud. But he couldn’t care less. There was still a tight feeling in his chest - not as tight as before, but it was still there.

He didn’t know what he expected to happen. He thought they would throw him in a cell to rot or at least lock him up until they did a mental scan to make sure he wasn’t evil or going to kill them.

So he was shocked when he felt arms wrap around him from all sides and hold him close.

And he cried even harder when Diana started singing the same song that got him stuck in this situation in the first place.

Yes, he loved his new family.

And maybe he'll finally be able to go home soon to see his old on as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> The song that Wally thinks about, specifically Perfect, is not the one made by Ed Sheeran. I can't remember the guys name, but I'll add it when I remember.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Edit: I must've been really tired last night. The song I was actually thinking about was Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. The reason Wally can't really remember the name is because even if he was born in 1999, Wonderful Tonight was made in 1977. It would still be a bit old for him. However, he would probably still remember most of the lyrics.


End file.
